The pandemic reared its ugly head shortly after the 2020 NAMM Show in Anaheim. This lead to cancellations of the Summer NAMM show in 2020, followed by the larger Anaheim show in 2021. You’d think anticipation for all things NAMM would be through the roof. As it was, with hesitation still in the air, attendance at the 2021 Summer NAMM show was considerably down from previous years.
Speculation is high that when the show returns to Anaheim in 2022, it will be off the rails. Still, a few hearty and enterprising souls ventured into Nashville to show off their wares and gain a foothold. Martin, Taylor, and Yamaha were the biggest names on the floor (Gibson had their own thing going at their headquarters a couple blocks away). We opted to talk to five smaller organizations exhibiting some unique products that caught both our eyes and ears.
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AxeEze™
Having problems with neck dive on your Gibson SG? The AxeEze cap offers a simple solution to control neck dive and playing position on SG guitars and basses, where the strap button is located behind the neck. Some players drill holes to move the strap button so they can access the upper frets on the neck. AxeEze eliminates that. The cap securely grips your instrument — and can be easily removed with a firm pull. Once in place, the weight shifts without an uncomfortable belt or anchoring trick. You get a better-balanced guitar by shifting its axis or center of gravity toward the guitar’s headstock. You can even bounce it around. Check out our interview with Pete Conrad, who invented the AxeEze. Learn more by visiting axeeze.com.
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Baldman Percussion
Danny Young and Mike McKee met a few years back and bonded over their lack of hair and a love for drums and percussion. Together, they set out to develop and create something the drum world had never seen. Their first concoction was the JUNK HAT™, a device you can attach to your hi-hat stand to get all kinds of new and unique acoustic sounds. There are a few variations of the JUNK HAT: the “OG,” a ‘purist’ version that includes the 14” wooden top in a dark walnut stain with interwoven chains and a hand-hammered metal bottom; an “XL” version four inches bigger; a “Mini Mini,” which is only 8.5”; and a 2.0 version that includes five holes around the edge for ‘add-on’ attachments. A second product, the STANK FOOT, which the company founders like to call “The Swiss Army Knife of the Percussion World,” can be strapped to your foot to create what’s been described as a chain-dropping JUNK HAT sound. The STANK FOOT won a ‘Best in Show’ award at the Summer NAMM Show. Watch our interview with the proprietors of Baldman Percussion to see how these contraptions work. You can see their full product line at baldmanpercussion.com.
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Guitar Pillow
Ever rest your guitar against the wall and walk away as your precious instrument slips and falls to the floor? That crash really hurts! Thanks to the Guitar Pillow, that doesn’t have to happen. The Guitar Pillow is a foam device that attaches to the headstock of your guitar, and allows you to confidently lean your guitar against a wall, a desk, a table, an amp, whatever — without the inevitable THUD. This simple, low-tech product straps to the headstock of your guitar without preventing you from tuning the instrument. Once attached, you can pretty much lean your guitar against any vertical surface without worry. The Guitar Pillow is available in both 3-pack and 10-pack configurations. You can view our chat with inventor Tom Porter to learn more. If you like what you see, order yours at guitarpillow.com.
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Kicktone®
The KickTone, from Morton Microphone Systems, is engineered to amplify low-end sounds and designed for kick drums. Replacing a bass drum microphone, the KickTone captures the full spectrum of sound naturally produced in the resonant chamber of a bass drum. It is built around a specially manufactured hemp diaphragm that’s both stiff and lightweight, providing superior damping characteristics. There is a second, coaxial dynamic structure to pick up the higher-frequency transients that give a bass drum its snap. The result is a punchy, well-defined sound that instantly grabs your attention. The KickTone can be mounted on a standard microphone stand, or attached to a bass drum’s resonant head with a proprietary slide bracket, supplied with each mic, that connects it to any KickPort, a popular bass drum sonic enhancer. It securely locks in the drum’s sweet spot, where it won’t block the view of your drum head artwork or get kicked out of position by an energetic singer. Explore your sonic imagination by utilizing the KickTone on other instruments for a little more low-end — facing upwards under the bass keys of a piano, or under your floor tom for more depth. Inventor Terry Morton filled us in on all that it can do. Read more about it at kicktonemic.com.
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Viper Guitars
Jeff Heitmann has owned and played guitars for over 30 years. He’s also an engineer who enjoys woodworking, so it was only natural that he would eventually start building guitars. And that’s how Viper Guitars got started. Heitmann has since refined his craft with extensive research on guitar construction, component selection, and finishing techniques. Players from all corners call on Viper Guitars to have their dream axe built. You can customize your pick-ups and bridges to meet your expectations. Choose different shapes and neck configurations to fit your style and comfort level. Viper Guitars are also available in a number of different colors and finishes. Pricing is quoted after the design and component selections are confirmed. From there, it takes anywhere from 10 to 12 weeks for delivery. At Summer NAMM, we spoke to Heitmann and guitarist Ronny North, who demonstrated a diversity of sounds and tones on his own custom Viper guitar. Learn more at viperguitar.com.
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Compiled by Shawn Perry
Video captured by Erin Perry
